Latos struggles, Reds lose to Dbacks 7-1

Arizona Diamondbacks' Jason Kubel is congratulated by third base coach Matt Williams (9) after Kubel hit a two-run home run off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Mat Latos in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
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Arizona Diamondbacks' Jason Kubel is congratulated by third base coach Matt Williams (9) after Kubel hit a two-run home run off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Mat Latos in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
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Cincinnati Reds' Jay Bruce flips his bat after striking out in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. Arizona won 7-1. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)— AP

Cincinnati Reds' Jay Bruce flips his bat after striking out in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. Arizona won 7-1. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
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Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Ryan Roberts forces out Cincinnati Reds' Todd Frazier (21) at third base in the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. Frazier was trying to advance on a bunt by Mat Latos. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)— AP

Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Ryan Roberts forces out Cincinnati Reds' Todd Frazier (21) at third base in the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. Frazier was trying to advance on a bunt by Mat Latos. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
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Cincinnati Reds third baseman Scott Rolen throws Arizona Diamondbacks' Justin Upton out at first base after fielding a ground ball in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)— AP

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Scott Rolen throws Arizona Diamondbacks' Justin Upton out at first base after fielding a ground ball in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
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Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Aaron Hill fields a ground ball hit by Cincinnati Reds' Scott Rolen in the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. Hill threw Rolen out at first. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)— AP

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew fields a ground ball hit by Cincinnati Reds' Todd Frazier in the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. Frazier was given an infield hit on the play. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)— AP

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew fields a ground ball hit by Cincinnati Reds' Todd Frazier in the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. Frazier was given an infield hit on the play. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
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Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Ian Kennedy throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)— AP

Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Jason Kubel, left, center fielder Gerardo Parra, center, and right fielder Justin Upton celebrate after their 7-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds in a baseball game, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, in Cincinnati. Kubel hit two home runs in the game. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
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CINCINNATI 
Mat Latos kept his streak going for more than three months. Two bad pitches reminded him how it feels to lose.

Jason Kubel returned from a sore hamstring and homered in his first two at-bats against Latos on Wednesday night, powering the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 7-1 victory that dropped the Cincinnati Reds back into a first-place tie in the NL Central.

Kubel hit a two-run shot in the first inning and a solo homer in the fourth off Latos (7-3), who lost for the first time since April 18. Latos also forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk in his second-shortest start of the season.

"If you throw pitches right down the heart of the plate to major-league hitters, they're going to hit the ball hard," Latos said.

Kennedy made the early lead hold, giving up eight hits and a run in eight innings. He struck out seven and didn't walk a batter.

The Reds have lost two of three since learning that first baseman Joey Votto needed surgery on his left knee. He's expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks.

Votto had torn cartilage repaired on Tuesday. He was in the Reds' clubhouse on Wednesday, getting treatment and defending the decision not to have an MRI on the knee for more than two weeks.

Cincinnati's offense has struggled without him, knocking the Reds into a first-place tie with Pittsburgh. The Pirates beat Rockies 9-6 earlier Wednesday.

Their best chance was another solid start from Latos, who hadn't lost in his last 15 games. The right-hander was 7-0 with 3.43 ERA during that span, which included three blown saves behind him.

This time, Latos didn't have it.

Aaron Hill singled in the first inning, extending his hitting streak to nine games. Kubel followed with a homer to center off a down-the-middle fastball, extending Great American Ball Park's streak to 71 consecutive games with a homer since last July 29. It's the longest such streak since Coors Field had 80 games with a homer in 2002-03.

Kubel led off the fourth with his 17th homer on a down-the-middle slider, his first multihomer game of the season.

"Kubel was the only one I really struggled with," Latos said. "That's the way the game goes."

Latos failed to make it through the fifth inning for only the third time this season. Hill doubled home a run in the fifth, and the Reds decided to intentionally walk Kubel with two outs to load the bases for Miguel Montero. Latos fell behind 3-0 in the count, got two foul-ball strikes, then threw one up-and-in for a walk that made it 5-1 and ended his outing.

Latos took off his red cap and fired his glove into the dugout tunnel when he left the field.

The Reds stranded runners in scoring position in each of the first four innings. Drew Stubbs singled home a run in the second, but the Reds couldn't get another clutch hit out of a lineup missing its most dependable run producer with Votto gone.